Acute airway management in the critically ill child requiring transport

Abstract

Airway compromise was found to be a common problem in children requiring critical care transport to our hospital. This retrospective review of 39 infants and children was undertaken to assess the frequency and degree of airway compromise in these children, to document the management required and to determine who performed it. Ninety-seven per cent of children had airway difficulties associated with their disease, and one-third of these required further airway management on the arrival of the transport team. Airway specialists had not been involved in the care of these children before the arrival of the transport team. This indicates that greater attention should be paid to airway management as soon as children are identified as being sufficiently ill to require transport to a tertiary care facility.